Button stringing device for tufted furniture



B. D. SKEEN 3,146,517

BUTTON'STRINGING DEVICE FOR TUFTED FURNITURE Sept. 1, 1964 '5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov.

IN VEN TOR.

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BUTTON STRINGING DEVICE FOR 'EUFTED FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3- Filed Nov. 1, 1962 N Mb Boyd 0. Skeen IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,146,517 BUTTUN STRINGING DEVICE FOR TUFTED FURNITURE Boyd 1). Sheen, Rte. 1, High Point, N.C., assignor of fifty percent to Odis B. Honeyeutt, J12, Ashehoro, N.C. Filed Nov. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 234,685 17 Claims. ((11. 2991.4)

This invention relates to a new and useful device for tufting furniture, mattresses-or the like.

As is well known, tufting of padded portions of furniture or mattresses, involves the passage of fiber or string through padding in close spaced relation to each other so that upon tying the ends of the fiber, the fabric enclosing opposite sides of the padding may be drawn toward each other. Tufting buttons may or may not be utilized for anchoring the fiber on the fabric side of the padded member opposite the side on which the fiber is tied. It will therefore be appreciated, that in connection with tufting referred to, a predetermined length of fiber must be cut and then threaded two times through needles for passage through the padded member as well as through the tufting button if used before the ends of the fiber are tied. The procedure therefore involves a considerable effort in connection with the passage of the needles through the padded member and the tufted button and is also time-consuming in connection with the cutting of the fiber to a predetermined length and threading thereof through the needles. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention, to provide a device for both facilitating and more rapidly accomplishing the tufting procedure referred to.

In accordance with the foregoing object, an important object of the present invention is to provide a portable and easily manipulated device for cutting fiber to a predetermined length, threading the fiber through a pair of needles and passing the needles with the fiber through a tufting button and the padded member in a single operation.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a portable gun-type of mechanism having a continuous supply of fiber and sequentially operative to thread the fiber through a pair of needles, cut off a predetermined length of fiber, project the needles with the fiber through the tufting button presented thereto from a magazine portion of the mechanism and carrying the fiber threaded needles through the tufting button and the padded member to be tufted so as to enable completion of the tufting procedure by merely tying the free ends of the fiber.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tufting mechanism of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan sectional view of the mechanism taken through a plane indicated by section line 2--2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view through the mechanism taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the mechanism in a phase position slightly displaced from that illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view of the mechanism illustrated in another phase position from that illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of the mechanism in a still further operational phase.

3,146,517, Patented Sept. 1, 1964 FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view of the mechanism in a final operational phase.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of a padded member after being tufted.

FIGURE 9 is a transverse sectional view of the mechanism taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 9-9 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 10 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 10-10 in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 11 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 1111 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 12 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 12- 12 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 13 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 13-13 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 14 is a partial sectional view taken through a plane indicated by section line 14--14 in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from FIGURE 1, that the tufting mechanism of the present invention generally referred to by reference numeral 10, includes an elongated housing body generally referred to by reference numeral 12 which slidably mounts an operating shaft assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 14 for movement through a predetermined stroke. The housing body 12 includes a forward magazine portion generally referred to by reference numeral 16 and also mounts at a forward end thereof, an adjustable outlet assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 18. Also, mounted below the main body portion 20 of the housing 12, is a fiber storage container generally referred to by reference numeral 22. It will therefore become apparent, that after the mechanism 10 is loaded with a spool of fiber within the storage container 22, and with tufting buttons within the magazine portion 16, the operating shaft assembly 14 may be withdrawn to its initial position illustrated .in FIGURES 1 and 3, so that when the outlet assembly end 18 is placed against a portion of furniture or a mattress. to be tufted, a predetermined length of fiber 24 will be passed through a tufting button 26 and through padding 28 encased between the fabric sides 31) and 32 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 8. The ends of the fiber 24 may then be tied as indicated at 34 in FIGURE 8 in order to complete the tufting procedure.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 in particular, it will be observed that the elongated housing body 12 includes an operating chamber 36 within the main body portion 26), said body portion 20 including a tubular guide portion 38 mounted internally thereof by means of which the operating shaft assembly 14 is guided for movement. Mounted forwardly of the operating chamber 36, is an elongated magazine chamber 40 within the magazine portion 16 of the housing, said chamber 40 being separated from a passageway 42 disposed therebelow, by means of a partition member 44. The passageway 42 is also aligned with the tubular guide portion 38 within the operating chamber 36 so as to slidably receive the operating shaft assembly 14. The tufting buttons 26 are therefore disposed within the magazine chamber 40 and are urged toward the forward end of the housing at which location the buttons are yeildably retained by the adjustable outlet assembly 18 in alignment with the passageway 42. The housing 12 is also provided with the lower projecting storage container portion 22 which includes the rigidly connected semi-cylindrical portion 46 and a semicylindrical closure portion 48 pivotally mounted on the body portion 253 by means of the hinge 50 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 1 and 9 so as to enclose a rotatably mounted fiber spool assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 52.

The spool assembly 52 includes a spool member 54 removably journalled between the fixed journal element 56 and the retractible journal element 58 mounted in axial alignment on the end wall portions of the semi-cylindrical section 46 of the storage container 22. Fiber or string unwound from the spool 54 is therefore guided through the guiding eye element 60 mounted below the housing portion 20 and projecting into the storage container 22. Fiber may therefore be Withdrawn from the storage by means of a fiber feeding assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 62 which is mounted at a lower forward end portion of the housing portion 20 in vertically spaced relationship below a fiber gripping device 64. A pair of closely spaced needle members 66 and 68 may therefore pass between the feed assembly 62 and the fiber gripping device 64, said needle members being fixedly mounted at a forward end portion of the operating shaft assembly 14.

As more clearly seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the operating shaft assembly 14 includes an elongated tubular member 70 the upper side of which is provided with an elongated slot 72 haivng a terminal end portion 74 which is spaced from an actuating knob 76 connected to the tubular member 70 so as to facilitate manual reciprocation of the operating shaft assembly through a predetermined stroke. The end of the tubular member 7t opposite the actuating knob 76, is provided with a solid portion 78 in which the stringing needles 66 and 68 are fixedly mounted in spaced relation to each other. Mounted by the solid end portion 78, and projecting forwardly therefrom, is a self-sharpening blade 80 which rides along the bottom portion of the tubular guide 38 for self-sharpening purposes, said blade being operative to cut off the fiber after the operating shaft assembly has been displaced by a predetermined distance from its initial position as illustrated in FIGURES l and 3. Mounted within the tubular member '70 adjacent its forward end, is a drive rack member 82 secured to the tubular member 70 by means of a pair of fastener elements 84. Also spaced from the forward end of the tubular member 70, is the forward terminal end portion 86 for the elongated slot 72. It will therefore become apparent, that the forward portion of the tubular member 70 is operative through the rack member 82 to control the feeding operation of the fiber feeding assembly 62 and through the terminal end portion 86 of the slot '72, the shaft assembly is operative to control the fiber gripping device 64.

The rack member 82 is therefore provided with downwardly projecting rack teeth 88 adapted to mesh with the pinion 90 rotatably mounted by pin 92 in the housing portion 20. Accordingly, an opening 94 is provided in the tubular guide portion 38 through which the pinion 90 projects for driving engagement with the rack member 82 as the operating shaft assembly approaches and departs from the initial retracted position as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3. As more clearly seen in FIG- URES 3, 9 and 13, a link member 96 is pivotally connected to the pinion 90 eccentrically with respect to its journal pin 92 so as to impart thereto, a reciprocatory stroke. The link member 96 is therefore also pivotally connected in eccentric relation, to a clutch disk 98 by means of the eccentric pin 106), the clutch disk 98 forming part of a one-way clutch assembly 102 operative in one rotational direction of movement to impart feeding movement to a fiber feeding wheel 104. Accordingly, the fiber feeding wheel 164 is loosely mounted on the shaft 106 to which the clutch disk 28 is connected, the clutch disk having clutch teeth which axially extends into engagement with clutch teeth on the feeding wheel. Thus, the feeding wheel is axially loaded by a spring 1% which maintains the wheel in clutch engagement with the clutch disk 98. The feeding assembly 62 which includes the feeding wheel 194 and the one-way clutch device Ill); is supported by means of the bracket 110 on which the shaft 166 is mounted in spaced relation to the shaft 112 on which a resilient wheel 114 is rotatably mounted adjustably spaced from the bracket by means of a spacer 116. The resilient wheel 114 is therefore adapted to frictionally engage the fiber 24 which is disposed between this wheel 114 and the feeding wheel M4, the external surface of which is serrated for feeding purposes. It will also be apparent from the foregoing, that the oscillatory stroke imparted to the clutch disk 98 by the link member 96, will be imparted to the feeding wheel 104 which is prevented from being angularly displaced in one rotational direction by a spring holding member 113. Accordingly, the feeding wheel 104 can be angularly displaced only in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4 and thereby upwardly feed the thread 24 through a centrally aligned aperture in the bracket 110. It will also be apparent, that when the operating shaft assembly 14 is in its initial retracted position the elongated slot 122 and 124 in the needle members 66 and 68 respectively, will be aligned between the aperture 120 of the feeding assembly 62 and the fiber gripping device 64 so that the thread may be upwardly projected through the elongated slots into the gripping device 64.

The gripping device is therefore provided with a pair of clamping elements 126 and 128 which are pivotally mounted by the housing portion 20 on the pin 130. Spring elements 132 and 134 are anchored to the housing wall as by welding for example, and yieldingly engage the clamp elements 126 and 134 respectively in order to urge them toward each other so that the serrated clamping surfaces 136 thereon will grip therebetween the free end portion of the fiber. It will be appreciated however, that opening of the clamp element will be necessary at the initial limit position of the operating shaft assembly in order to receive the free end portion of the fiber. Accordingly, a release spring 138 is pivotally connected at one end to the clamp element 128 and at an opposite end is pivotally connected to a slide element 140, which is slidably mounted for limited displacement within the slot opening 142 in the tubular guide portion 38. It will therefore be apparent, that when the operating shaft assembly 14 is retracted toward its initial position, the terminal end portion 86 of the upper slot 72 will abut against the slide element 140 for limited displacement thereof within the slot 142 and thereby tension the release spring 138 so as to pivotally withdraw the clamp element 128 against the bias of the spring element 134 in order to open the grip device 64 as shown in FIGURE 3. Thereafter, when the operating shaft assembly is slidably displaced inwardly, from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4, the grip device 64 will immediately clamp the free end portion of the fiber so that it may thereafter be withdrawn by the needle members from the storage container 22. It will however be appreciated, that as the operating shaft assembly is retracted to its end limit position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, on approaching this end limit position, wherein the elongated slot in the needle members become aligned with the aperture 120 of the feed device 62, the rack member 32 will be operative to angularly displace the pinion 90 and thereby angularly displace the feeding wheel 104 in the proper direction so as to upwardly project the fiber through the elongated slots of the needles and then between the clamp elements of the grip device 64 as it is opened.

As the operating shaft assembly 14 is displaced inwardly beyond the position illustrated in FIGURE 4, it will be operative through the needle members, to withdraw a predetermined length of fiber inasmuch as the free end thereof is held by the gripping device 64. Thus, after the operating shaft assembly has been displaced by a predetermined distance, the blade element 80 will cutoff or sever the fiber at the aperture 126 so that continuous movement of the operating shaft assembly thereafter would merely cause the cut end of the fiber to be drawn forwardly with the needle members. As the needles are projected through the connecting portion 144 of a tufting button 26, the tension applied to the fiber will be sulficient to withdraw it from the gripping device 64 which has been yieldably anchoring the end of the fiber with a light pressure. Accordingly, the predetermined length of fiber is thereafter projected by the needles through the connecting portion of the tufted button 26 as shown in FIGURE 5 Thereafter, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the needles and fiber may carry the tufted button yieldably retained in the adjustable outlet assembly 18 through the opening provided thereby so that it may be pressed against the fabric 30, the padding 28 and the fabric 32 and finally bring the ends of the fiber 24 completely through the fabric 32 as illustrated in FIGURE 7 at the end of the inward stroke of the operating shaft assembly. The tufting mechanism may then be withdrawn so as to withdraw the needle members 66 and 68 leaving the ends of the predetermined length of fiber 24 for tying as shown in FIGURE 8.

It will be observed that the tufting buttons 26 are supplied to and dispensed from the adjustable outlet assembly 18 from the magazine chamber 41) within which they may be loaded single file. Accordingly, the magazine portion 16 of the housing, is provided with an inlet opening 148 through which tufting buttons may be inserted. The buttons are urged toward the forward outlet end of the housing by means of a laterally extending rod element 150 which is slidably mounted between the side walls of the magazine chamber 40 by means of a pair of parallel guide slots 152 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 2, 5 and 14. Accordingly, a pair of magazine loading springs 154 are disposed within the housing one end of each of said springs being connected to the rod element 115 and extending forwardly therefrom within passageways 156 on opposite lateral sides of the magazine chamber 40. The loading springs 154 extend downwardly about the forward end portion 158 of the partition member 44 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 14, and are anchored below the magazine chamber by an anchor pin 160 as more clearly seen in FEGURE 3 adjacent to but spaced from the rear end of the magazine chamber. It will therefore be apparent, that the rod element 150 under the bias of the springs 154, will urge the tufting buttons toward the forward outlet end. However, in order to load the magazine chamber 41) with additional buttons 26, the rod element 151) may be retained in its extreme rearward position by means of a downwardly projecting portion 160 of the slot into which the rod element is displaced for such purpose. It will also be observed, that the forward portions of the slots 152 are downwardly curved by a slight amount whereby the rod elements will be effective adjacent its forward end position, to downwardly displace and urge the tufted button for proper positioning thereof by the adjustable outlet assembly 18.

The adjustable outlet assembly 18 includes an upper spring clip element 164 as seen in FIGURES 3, 5 through 7 and 10 having an anchored end portion 166 and a free end portion 163 defining the upper edge of an outlet opening. Connected to the housing portion 16 at its forward end, below the spring clip element 164, is a downwardly flaring portion 170 which also anchors thereto, a bottom spring clip element 172, the free end 174 of which defines the bottom edge of the outlet opening through which the tufted buttons are discharged. Accordingly, an adjustable screw member 176 is threadedly mounted by the portion 170 for the purpose of positioning the bottom spring clip element 172 against its spring bias in order to vary the size of the outlet opening in accordance with the size of the tufting buttons. Similarly, a screw element 178 is threadedly mounted by the housing portion 16 at the forward end for abutment with the upper spring clip element 164 so as to vary the downward curvature thereof in order to guide the tufted buttons into position as well as to vary the dimension of the outlet opening disposed in alignment With the passageway 42 through which the operating shaft assembly 14 projects the stringing needles 66 and 68.

From the foregoing description, the operation and utility of the tufting mechanism of the present invention, will be apparent. Therefore, the procedure involved in connection with the operation of the mechanism of the present invention, requires the loading of the magazine chamber 41) with tufting buttons should such buttons be used, in which case the rod element 150 is retained in its extreme rearward position within the portion 160 of the slot so that the buttons may be inserted through the opening 148 in the housing portion 16. Thereafter, the rod element 150 is displaced upwardly from the retaining slot portion 160 so that the springs 154 may exert the bias on the tufting buttons with the forward button held in alignment with the passageway 42 by proper adjustment of the adjustable outlet assembly 18. Also, a fiber loaded spool assembly 52 will be mounted within the storage container 22 and the fiber threaded between the feeding wheel 164 and the pressing wheel 114 so that it projects through the aperture of the feeding assembly 62. Retraction of the operating shaft assembly 14 toward its limit position will be operative through the rack member 82 and the pinion 90 connected to the feed wheel by the link member 96 and the one-way clutch 1192, to upwardly project the free end portion of the fiber through the elongated slots in the needle members and into the grip device 64 also opened for such purpose. Inward displacement of the operating shaft assembly will then be operative to sequentially clamp the gripping device 64 on the free end portion of the fiber by releasing the slide element to which the release spring 138 is connected and thereafter withdraw the fiber from the spool assembly 52 by means of the needle members through which the fiber is threaded. Continued inward movement of the operating shaft assembly by a predetermined distance will effect severing of the fiber by the cutter element 80 so that a predetermined length of fiber may thereafter be carried by the needle members through a tufted button held in alignment therewith by the adjustable outlet assembly 18. The fiber ends are thereby projected through a padded member or mattress so that they may be tied in order to complete the tufting operation. The mechanism is then withdrawn and reconditioned for executing another tufting opera tion by retracting the operating shaft assembly to its initial extended position. It will therefore be obvious, that tufting may be accomplished in a facilitated manner and more rapidly than was heretofore possible.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A manually operated portable device for tufting furniture, mattresses, or the like comprising, elongated housing means, operating means movably mounted by said housing means for movement through a predeter mined stroke, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having elongated slots through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means, and sequentially operative means responsive to movement of said operating means through said predetermined stroke to sequentially thread fiber, supplied by said storage means, through the elongated slots in the needle means and cut-off a predetermined length of said fiber for projection from said housing means with the needle means.

2. The combination of claim 1, including magazine means mounted on said housing means for storing tufting buttons therein, and adjustable outlet means engageable with a button from the magazine means to yieldably retain said button in alignment with said needle means for piercing thereby and projecting said fiber therethrough to carry the button out of the housing means with said predetermined length of fiber.

3. A manually operated portable device for tufting furniture, mattresses, or the like comprising, elongated housing means, Operating means movably mounted by said housing means for movement through a predetermined stroke, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having elongated slots through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means, and sequentially operative means responsive to movement of said operating means through said predetermined stroke to sequentially thread fiber supplied by said storage means through the elongated slots in the needle means and cut-off a predetermined length of said fiber for projection from said housing means with the needle means, magazine means mounted on said housing means for storing tufting buttons therein, and adjustable outlet means engageable with a button from the magazine means to yieldably retain said button in alignment with said needle means for piercing thereby and projecting said fiber therethrough to carry the button out of the housing means with said predetermined length of fiber, said sequentially operative means comprising, fiber gripping means mounted in the housing means and opened for receiving one end portion of said fiber in response to movement of the operating means to one limit position thereof, fiber feed means responsive to approach and departure of said operating means from said one limit position for feeding said one end portion of the fiber through the elongated slots of the needle means into the gripping means, and cutter means mounted on the operating means for cutting said fiber in response to movement of the operating means a predetermined distance from said one limit position.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said operating means comprises an elongated bar slidably mounted by the housing means and rigidly mounting said needle means forwardly thereof to align the elongated slots therein with the fiber and the gripping means in said one limit position, and rack means connected to a forward end portion of the elongated bar for driving engagement with said feed means during approach and departure from said one limit position, said cutter means projecting from the bar forwardly of the rack means.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said gripping means comprises, a. pair of clamp elements mounted by the housing means, biasing means urging said clamp elements to a closed position for anchoring fiber therebetween, releasing means connected to one of said clamp elements and mounted by the housing means for limited displacement to a release position to hold said clamp element open against the urge of said biasing means and abutment means mounted on the operating means to engage the releasing means for displacement thereof to the release position.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said magazine means comprises an elongated chamber for receiving buttons therein disposed forwardly of said housing means and defining a passageway therebelow through which said needle means and operating means move, spring means slidably mounted in the chamber and anchored therebelow for urging said buttons toward a forward end of the housing means for discharge from the adjustable outlet means.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said adjustable outlet means comprises, a pair of flexible guiding elements fixedly connected to the housing means in spaced relation adjacent said forward end for guiding movement of said buttons from the elongated chamber and means for adjustably spacing said guiding elements to form an outlet aligned with said passageway.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said feed means includes, a feeding wheel rotatably mounted by said housing in spaced alignment with said gripping means for passage of the needle means therebetween, one-way clutch means engageable with said feeding wheel for imparting feeding movement thereto, link means connected to said clutch means and gear means connected to said link means and drivingly engageable by the operating means.

9. A manually operated portable device for tufting furniture, mattresses or the like comprising, elongated housing means, operating means movably mounted by said housing means for movement through a predetermined stroke, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having elongated slots through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means and sequentially operative means responsive to movement of said operating means through said predetermined stroke to sequentially thread fiber supplied by said storage means through the elougated slots in the needle means and cut-ofi? a predetermined length of said fiber for projection from said housing means with the needle means, said sequentially operative means comprising, fiber gripping means mounted in the housing means and opened for receiving one end portion of said fiber in response to movement of the operating means to one limit position thereof, fiber feed means responsive to approach and departure of said operative means from said one limit position for feeding said one end portion of the fiber through the elongated slots of the needle means into the gripping means, and cutter means mounted on the operating means for cutting said fiber in response to movement of the operating means a predetermined distance from said one limit position.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said gripping means comprises a pair of clamp elements mounted by the housing means, biasing means urging said clamp elements to a closed position for anchoring fiber therebetween, releasing means connected to one of said clamp elements and mounted by the housing means for limited displacement to a release position to hold said clamp element open against the urge of said biasing means and abutment means mounted on the operating means to engage the releasing means for displacement thereof to the release position.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said feed means includes, a feeding wheel rotatably mounted by said housing in spaced alignment with said gripping means for passage of the needle means therebetween, oneway clutch means engageable with said feeding wheel for imparting feeding movement thereto, link means connected to said clutch means and gear means connected to said link means and drivingly engageable by the operating means.

12. A manually operated portable device for tufting furniture, mattresses or the like comprising, elongated housing means, operating means movably mounted by said housing means for movement through a predetermined stroke, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having elongated slots through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means and sequentially operative means responsive to movement of said operating means through said predetermined stroke to sequentially thread fiber supplied by said storage means through the elongated slots in the needle means and cut-off a predetermined length of said fiber for projection from said housing means with the needle means, said operating means comprising an elongated bar slidably mounted by the hous ing means and rigidly mounting said needle means forwardly thereof to align the elongated slots therein with the fiber and rack means connected to a forward end portion of the elongated bar for driving engagement with said sequentially operative means during approach and departure of said elongated bar from one limit position.

13. A device for tufting furniture, mattresses, or the like comprising, elongated housing means, operating means movably mounted by said housing means, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having apertures through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means for storing said fiber, and means responsive to movement of said operating means for threading a predetermined length of said fiber through the apertures in the needle means.

14. A manually operated portable device for tufting furniture, mattresses, or the like comprising, elongated housing means, operating means movably mounted by said housing means for movement through a predetermined stroke, spaced needle means mounted on said operating means having elongated slots through which fiber is adapted to be threaded, fiber storage means mounted on said housing means, sequentially operative means responsive to movement of said operating means through said predetermined stroke to sequentially thread fiber, supplied by said storage means through the elongated slots in the needle means and cut-oh. a predetermined length of said fiber, and adjustable outlet means to yieldably retain a button in alignment with said needle means for projection of said needle means and fiber therethrough, said adjustable outlet means comprising, a pair of flexible guiding elements fixedly connected to the housing means in spaced relation adjacent a forward end of the housing means, and means for adjustably spacing said guiding elements to form an outlet opening aligned with said needle means.

15. A tufting device comprising, a housing, operating means movably mounted by the housing, needle means carried by the operating means for movement therewith, said needle means having at least one aperture therein, storage means from which fiber is withdrawn and threading means operative in response to movement of the op- It) crating means for threading a predetermined length of said fiber through said aperture in the needle means.

16. In a tufting device having a movably mounted needle and fiber storage means from which fiber is withdrawn by the needle, means for threading a predetermined length of said fiber through a slot in the needle comprising, gripping means opened to receive one end portion of the fiber in response to movement of the needle to one limit position, feed means responsive to approach and departure of the needle from said one limit position for feeding said end portion of the fiber into the gripping means through the slot in the needle, and cutter means responsive to movement of the needle a predetermined distance from said one limit position for severing said predetermined length of the fiber being withdrawn by the movement of the needle.

17. In a tufting device having a housing movably mounting a needle and operating means connected to the needle for sequential projection of the needle from the housing and withdrawal of the needle into the housing, a magazine in the housing for storing tufting buttons in spaced relation to the needle, said housing having an outlet opening aligned with said needle in communication with the magazine, yieldable retaining means mounted in said opening for guiding and holding said buttons in alignment with the needle and withdrawal from the housing, and retractible spring means for urging the buttons in the magazine toward the opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,961 Rich Oct. 3, 1933 850,779 Peacock Apr. 16, 1907 1,936,726 Mathewson Nov. 28, 1933 1,974,887 Zofnass Sept. 25, 1934 2,100,844 Foster Nov. 30, 1937 

1. A MANUALLY OPERATED PORTABLE DEVICE FOR TUFTING FURNITURE, MATTRESSES, OR THE LIKE COMPRISING, ELONGATED HOUSING MEANS, OPERATING MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED BY SAID HOUSING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH A PREDETERMINED STROKE, SPACED NEEDLE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID OPERATING MEANS HAVING ELONGATED SLOTS THROUGH WHICH FIBER IS ADAPTED TO BE THREADED, FIBER STORAGE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING MEANS, AND SEQUENTIALLY OPERATIVE MEANS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING MEANS THROUGH SAID PREDETERMINED STROKE TO SEQUENTIALLY THREAD FIBER, SUPPLIED BY SAID STORAGE MEANS, THROUGH THE ELONGATED SLOTS IN THE NEEDLE MEANS AND CUT-OFF A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF SAID FIBER FOR PROJECTION FROM SAID HOUSING MEANS WITH THE NEEDLE MEANS. 